


I Thought You Might Have Wanted My Heart

by InsomniacCoffee



Series: Kloktober 2020 [2]
Category: Metalocalypse (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Established Past Relationship, Happy Ending, Kloktober, M/M, Mugging, Post-Episode: s03e01 Renovationklok, Stabbing, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26767750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacCoffee/pseuds/InsomniacCoffee
Summary: Kloktober Prompt:OTP & Favorite CharacterWhumptober Prompt:No 28-MuggedCharles asks Pickles out on a date in an attempt to pick up where they left off so many years ago. Unfortunately, the date becomes a disaster.
Relationships: Charles Foster Offdensen/Pickles the Drummer
Series: Kloktober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947079
Kudos: 5
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	I Thought You Might Have Wanted My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I went with both Favorite Character & OTP as Pickles is my definite favorite and Chickles is my obvious OTP. Wouldn't have done this but I had to at least give one more day to the OTP that has given me sanity and a lot more freedom in writing- Plus I really love the headcanon that Charles may have started to become a bit more open towards the guys! :')
> 
> I changed the plots of this at least three times to avoid it being long but this ended up being long anyway welp-I have ended up loosely basing this off of a Tumblr prompt i had done a while ago I'll post here once Kloktober is over as well as the headcanon of them into astronomy. It's just a nostalgic headcanon for me and getting to subtly hint at a theory and use that headcanon makes this a great way to use the prompt! 
> 
> Took the title from Sky Blue by Devin Townsend because it was the song I was listening to all day yesterday

Having Charles come back from the dead was...surprising. No, that didn't fit. But it was good enough of a word for Pickles to decide on without looking like a smartass. So yes, Charles coming back was in fact, a very surprising thing to happen. There was no real explanation as to why he had died but came back and there may never be one. Charles acted like his usual self and pretended such a thing never happened once he wore his usual suit after the performance. 

Though, to say that things went back to normal was a slight lie. Charles was more open to hanging out with them for once. And Charles even accepted the cheap beer Pickles offered when he found him alone. It felt like somehow that the walls that he had put up between them, personal and professional, had cracked just enough for sunlight to filter through. He even began hanging around with him a bit more often outside of work, something he only did sparingly. It was really only invitations to drink in his office but it felt nice. What was once hidden away by professionalism now turned into something else and it was actually nice to be able to hang out with him like friends again.

Pickles assumed that dying just meant he changed his mind or had a different perspective on things. Things like being professional around people he cared about must've been something he had reconsidered. His old friends that had almost overdosed once ended up turning their lives around because of 'their second chance of life.' But Charles didn't die of an overdose and had died doing something incredibly brave. Though, it did never really enter his mind that it meant their relationship actually going beyond friendship. That was something he had long since buried away with other memories that were hidden away to try to never think about.

He was wrong in that aspect, though. What was thought of as a wall with thin cracks was more of a wall slowly crumbling away to dust.

Pickles was alone in the dining room drinking black coffee when Charles found him. He was trying to figure out how the latest model of his Dethphone worked when he looked up to see Charles enter the dining room. He gave him a relaxed smile as he saw him. It felt exciting to see he was really alive every day, "Morning, chief."

Charles returned the smile, "Good morning, Pickles." He sat down next to him setting down his own cup of coffee, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out this phone. I kinda miss the flip phone; it was much easier to deal with."

"Well, technology's advancing. Pretty soon you'll find that phone much easier to handle compared to a flip phone."

"I guess. It's moving too fast if you ask me," He answered before he gave up and set his phone down. He took a sip of his coffee as he looked at him, "So what are you gonna do today?"

"The usual paperwork and meetings. But that's not exactly important right now. I wanted to ask you something." 

"About what?"

Even though he had mentally rehearsed his lines many times, it still didn't mean he really was prepared to ask something that he would've normally never asked, "What are your plans tonight?" 

"Oh. Nothing, really."

There seemed to be a slight hesitation coming from him for just a moment. Whatever hesitation he had didn't show in his voice, "Then would you like to go out for dinner with me?" 

Pickles looked at him with an expression of utter bewilderment, "Wait, like on a date?"

"I suppose it could be if you wanted it to be."

He paused for a moment. Admittedly, he had always hoped something like this would happen but as the years went by and their popularity soared, it became nothing more than a dream. That dream was something that had always haunted him when Charles died and he was forced to live in regret that he didn't push their relationship to continue. Getting the opportunity again...felt almost too good to be true, "Are you serious?"

"I am serious about this, I swear. I'd just like to take you out somewhere, it doesn't have to be dinner."

"But are you sure? You said we couldn't do something like this because it wouldn't look good to the public."

"Well, I did say that when we were starting out with the band. I think by now it wouldn't exactly matter. You are part of the world's largest economy, after all. We will still need to take some precautions, of course, but I would like to try again with this. I want to make this up to you if you'd let me."

The idea of it was so inviting. He really wasn't quite sure what to say or do about it because he was sure that the appropriate answer would be to kindly reject him. Their relationship had been 'paused' for so long that it was hard to tell at what stage in the relationship they were in. But at the same time, it felt like some reward well deserved for being patient. Maybe most people wouldn't wait for so many years for a relationship to finally continue but he was part of a death metal band that had more money than first world countries combined, "Sure, I'd like to go out with you."

* * *

The date was, to put it lightly, a disaster.

They had started off at a fancy restaurant in England and that was the first mistake.

What turned into a fancy night of drinking expensive wine and food had turned into one of the arguments.

No one even knew who started what but it was clear the wine got to their heads and ended up releasing some pent-up frustration both had, whether for their relationship or something else.

"Hey, I wasn't the one who fucking played Jesus for nine months straight." Pickles said not even bothering to hide the anger in his voice, "How could you even think things will be fine after that stunt you pulled?"

"I can't exactly reveal everything without ruining everything I had to disappear for."

"Do you even trust me?"

"Of course I do-"

"Then why aren't you telling me a single truth?!"

"I just can't. Not right now. I promise-"

"Y'know what? Fuck you, and fuck this. I'm outta here." Pickles stormed out of the restaurant before their first course even arrived.

They had lasted half an hour which had to be some sort of record.

Admittedly, he didn't know the streets of London pretty well but he wasn't going to just turn back after making such a scene. Charles was a damn hypocrite and he had no idea how he could expect going out with him without bringing up that topic. It was probably the main reason he was asked out in the first place! 

The more he walked, the more foolish he felt. How foolish it was to think that things could return like they used to. He pulled out his phone and struggled to google local cab companies thanks to his blurred vision and the fact he still hadn't figured out how to work with his phone. He should've learned more on how to use it.

He didn't notice where he was going or noticed and ended up accidentally bumping into someone. He didn't say anything as he tried to continue walking but soon felt the tug of someone trying to take his phone.

"Just give me your phone."

"Get your fucking own."

"I said, give me your phone."

There was a struggle with his phone as he tried to pull it away from his robber's grip. They both had accidentally lost their grip at the same time and the phone quickly fell out of their grasp and tumbled to the street where it was immediately crushed by a car. There were pieces of the phone everywhere scattered around but it definitely didn't look like a phone anymore.

"Dude, you fucking owe me for that phone! It was a prototype!"

The man began to attack him, most likely to try and grab his wallet. He struggled and struggled against him until the man pulled out a pocket knife and he realized what was gonna happen.

Pickles could feel the robber stab his arm just as he managed to cover his face. It wasn't deep but it was enough for it to be lodged in and for the burning pain to quickly surface. It felt like someone lit his skin on fire and it was taking him everything to not cry out. He had to think quickly, and he was well aware that he could get stabbed somewhere more fatally. He quickly kicked him as strong as he could and pulled the knife out of his arm. Blood trickled faster down his arm now that he removed the only thing sealing his wound so maybe that wasn't a very good idea. 

He would worry about that later. For now, he had to find a way to fight off the attacker just enough for Charles or someone to come back. He quickly dodged the robber's punch and attempted to stab him only to quickly stumble and miss. With a shove, he quickly hit the hard concrete floor and lost his grip on the knife. He used his foot as the only barrier between him and his attacker as he tried to reach for the knife and dodge whatever punch was thrown at him. The moment he had a hold on the knife, he suddenly felt no weight on his foot and turned to see he was quickly shoved to the side. 

Luckily, Charles had managed to find him just in time. It took just one punch to the face to render him unconscious. He quickly sent a text to a klokateer to handle him while he went to Pickles' side, "Pickles, are you alright?" His eyes quickly looked at his arm, a small pool of blood was formed in the concrete from where he was stabbed. He cursed under his breath as he helped him sit up, checking his head to make sure he didn't hit his head upon impact.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just got stabbed, is all. Not a big deal." He smiled though Charles didn't and instead focused on his injury.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Probably got a few scrapes from falling but I'm fine."

Charles looked at the wound though it was hard to determine how deep it was with the blood still pouring out. He took off his tie to tie it around his wound. He heard him wince in pain at the pressure but it was the only way to stop the bleeding. They had their own medical team but they wouldn't arrive until a long while later and he was worried that the stab was deeper than he could have anticipated, "Let's just get you to a hospital. I'll call a taxi."

* * *

As it turns out, it was deep and he required six stitches by the end of it. His pain tolerance was pretty high but he was warned to not try and do anything strenuous with that arm for a few weeks. Which meant another reason for the album to be delayed though even they knew that the album would've been delayed regardless of his injury.

Charles, naturally, was incredibly guilty. He didn't say anything when he was discharged from the hospital. He simply led them to where their private jet plane was waiting for them. He instructed the pilot to take them back

"Pickles, I'm so sorry," Charles said when they had a moment alone.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault," He answered with a shrug. If he had felt pain, he would have winced but luckily he was given the highest dose of painkillers possible so as far as he was concerned, he didn't get stabbed at all. He didn't like how he didn't even feel high but he knew he was beyond the realm of FDA-approved painkillers to feel a thing besides what it was supposed to do. He opened the mini fridge the airplane had and took a can of beer for himself. He offered it to Charles who politely declined.

"But it is. I shouldn't have asked you out. This was a mistake for me to think that things would work out." 

That changed Pickles' mood completely enough to set his unopened can down, "What? You think a lil' stab wound is gonna break our relationship?"

"But I was with you-"

"And I was the one that left and made myself be alone. If anything, it's my fault."

"It isn't. It's my fault. I was stupid to think things could remain the same. Clearly, they haven't and I'm sorry for thinking they could and roping you into my foolishness."

"Hey, I said yes, didn't I? Don't you think there is a reason why I said yes to this date? Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

Charles fell silent. Of course. It didn't matter if it was foolish or not but the fact of it remained that they clearly had unresolved feelings for each other. Feelings that they were well aware of but afraid to act upon. Going on the date was only the tip of the iceberg of years of pent up feelings that only escalated.

And he fucking died for Christ's sake. And disappeared for nine months too. How could he think that things would be okay even if he planned everything by the book? He was with Pickles and he was as unpredictable as predictable could be.

He sighed as he leaned back against the seat, "This was a disaster of a date, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, no kidding."

"I know what you said at the restaurant was true and I admit you're right. I haven't been truthful and I'm sorry. But, please know that the reason is nothing but because I deeply care about you. I just want you safe and I couldn't even do that."

"I'm still mad," Pickles admitted as he looked at him. It was easy to see he was still a bit angry at him but there was another look to him, "But I know you wouldn't lie to me for no reason. I'll still be mad but I'll be over it. I just wish you would tell me something, is all."

"I know," he said softly, "I promise when I can, I will. But I promise I'll be honest about everything else."

"Okay. Then why did you ask me on this date?"

"I can't talk about what I did while I was gone. I can say, though, that I have thought of you and us and what could've been. I really missed you and I missed what we had. I guess I was just hoping too much that things could be back to normal but even I don't think that can be possible. It's been too long and we've been through so much. We can't go back to where we used to be."

"I know what you mean. I've been thinking a lot about you too when you died. I really missed you and just wished a lot of times that I could go back and at least tell you how I felt...but are you saying we should break up officially?" He couldn't hide the disappointment in his face and voice.

"No," He said quickly but quickly added on, "I mean unless you want to. I'm saying we should start over from the beginning. Try not to rush things, go on our own pace and see what happens."

"Do you wanna give this another shot?"

"Of course. Do you?"

"In a heartbeat. Then would you like to go out on a date with me? Forgetting the entirety of the last few hours, if you will."

Pickles laughed and nodded, "Yeah, I'd really like that. When do you wanna try again?"

"Whenever you'd like is fine with me, though a two-week notice would be appreciated."

He thought for a moment, "Well, are you doing anything tonight?"

"Not at all."

He knew at least one thing that could at least make their night end off on a high night, "We can try our date again tonight. Meet me at the library in half an hour when we get home."

* * *

Charles arrived at the library in exactly twenty-eight minutes. At Pickles' suggestion, he found a long sleeved shirt and his jacket to put on for warm clothing. It didn't take long for him to reach the empty library where the lights were completely off and it had created an almost eerie feeling. He had to hope that he wasn't just pulling some prank on him and decided to ditch him.

The door to the library eventually opened, Pickles arrived about five minutes later, also dressed in warm clothing and had a basket that contained snacks and wine, "Ready to go?"

"Go where?"

"I'll show you. Just follow me." He answered as he led him further down the library.

He admittedly never explored much of the library. He simply didn't have the time to explore everything Mordhaus had to offer. Now that he did, he could see how extensive the library was. Shelves upon shelves of books that nearly reached the ceiling were everywhere. They must surely have more books than what the Library of Alexandria had.

They reached the end of the library where there was a door off in a corner. It was a white door that contrasted the color scheme of the library but there was a nameplate beside it.

 _Observatory_.

He knew the reason why Pickles chose the place. It was their first date so many years ago. Having the observatory be their second 'first' date felt only fitting.

Pickles opened the door with one arm and had to use his body weight to push the incredibly heavy door further open. Charles helped him go in first before entering himself and realized that he never did visit the observatory in years. He must've gone with him once when Mordhaus was completely built and then never again. He found no reason to go back to a place that would constantly remind him of what could've been if he had chosen to stay in the relationship with him.

And maybe he still would think those things for a long time. Regret that they didn't continue and now have to start over from the beginning. First dates, kisses, and everything that they had gone through already. He wondered if things for them and the band would've been different had they stayed. Maybe they would've gotten married or maybe they would've waited or seen it as a waste of time. Maybe they would've been a power couple that would get widely accepted considering how unpredictable the audience. At least those answers would be answered now and in a way, it was exciting to get to start over and make things right.

He walked the long flight of spiral stairs with him, the sound of metal against shoes and their breaths was heard in the quiet observatory. The only source of light they had was a red light that only grew brighter until they finally reached the top. A large refractor telescope similar to any other observatory stood in the middle and looked rather well kept. He figured the reasoning being that he had to call upon astronomers to study the stars for any signs of the prophecy. He could read the stars, of course, but knew it wasn't his place.

Pickles seemed to know what to do as he warned him to not lean against the walls and pressed a button. The sound of metal clanking and rotating filled the air until the light from the night sky finally began filtering through. A breeze of cool air and the sound of cicadas and nature-filled the atmosphere now.

"Think we're too late to see if we can find a planet but we can just look at the stars." He spoke up as he looked up.

There was an endless amount of stars scattered across the sky. Even though he had looked at them various amounts of times, it never ceased to amaze him when he got a chance to just stop and look.

Pickles set a blanket down from the basket and sat down. Charles joined him and helped set out the snacks and wine that he had brought.

This time, it was different. There were no drunken arguments at a high scale restaurant or unresolved tension between them. It was as light and free as the stars scattered across aimlessly enough to create a clear image that things might turn out for the better for them. It turned from drinking and eating under the stars to lying down on the blanket, looking at the endless stars as they tried to make out each constellation. Charles wrapped an arm around and Pickles placed his head on his chest as they relaxed completely into the night. It almost felt like they had done stargazing for decades, never stop, and it was only another night for them. Maybe they really can work this out in the end with just a little work.

Things will be alright. One day it won't be and they'll have to analyze their relationship once again but that wouldn't happen for a while or as the stars had told Charles.

They can't focus on what was lost or what will be lost. They can only focus on what's going on at the moment. And at the moment, things are going to be okay.


End file.
